Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee
5 May 2026
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Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Australian Parliament
15:08 - 17:38
Speaker 30
I declare open this public hearing of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee inquiry into offshore processing and resettlement arrangements. The committee's proceedings today will follow the program as circulated. These are public proceedings being broadcast live in Parliament House and online. I'm the chair of the committee, senator Leah Blythe, and joining me today are senators Cox, senators Shoebridge, and senator Dunham, and senator Stewart. Before we begin, I remind senators of their obligation under the behavior code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness, and respect.
I remind witnesses that in giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege. It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence given to a committee, and such an action may be treated by the senate as a contempt. It is also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence to the committee. The committee prefers evidence to be given in public, but under the senate's resolutions, witnesses have the right to request to be heard in confidence, described as being in camera. If you're a witness today and intend to request to give evidence in camera, please bring this to the attention of the secretariat as soon as possible.
If a witness objects to answering a question, the witness should state the ground upon which the objection is taken, and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer having regard to which, the ground which is claimed. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request that the answer be given in camera. Such a request may, of course, also be made at any other time. A witness speaking for the first time should state their full name and the capacity in which they appear, and witnesses should speak clearly and into the microphones to assist Hansard to record proceedings. Mobile phones and other electronic devices should be switched off or turned to silent mode.
I now welcome representatives from the Law Council of Australia. Thank you very much for taking the time to come and speak with the committee today. I understand that information on parliamentary privilege and the protection of witnesses has been provided to you and is available from the secretariat. For the hand side record, for this session, can I please get you to state your full name and the capacity in which you appear? I don't know who wants
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